"Would you like a drink?" Hui had finally managed to find his voice after recovering from her dazzling smile .

"Her smile should really come with a warning . Look and absorb it at your own risk . You may end up losing your head and heart to it," he thought to himself .

She shook her head in affirmative . While Hui busied himself with ordering the drinks for them, Jia Li took in the scene around her . Couples were swaying away to the music, lost in their private worlds . Heated, perspiring bodies wrapped around each-other made her yearn for that connect, for that intimacy . It had been such a long lonely period for her . She couldn't remember the last time that she had held or had been held by a loved one in such a manner . Her eyes teared up on their own accord and she tried to surrept.i.tiously wipe away the salty sadness before her companion could take notice of it . Was she crying for someone's absence or in self-pity? Both? She didn't know . . .

Hui looked up from the menu to ask her if she wished to eat something but his words stayed in . Her beautiful green eyes held a wealth of sadness in them . He lowered his eyes and hid his face behind the menu card . He wanted to ask her the reason but didn't want to intrude on what was clearly a private moment . His heart ached at the thought of her being unhappy .

Impulsively, he said, "the drinks would take some time . Let's go partic.i.p.ate in a Tanda till then . "

Jia Li looked at him in confusion .

"A Tanda is a round consisting of four dances . Till now, you and I have been dancing as a couple . Now it's time to experience Tango in a group," he explained and stood up, pus.h.i.+ng his chair behind .

She replied, "Nooooo, I am not even sure if I have got the solo moves right . How can I partic.i.p.ate in the group dance . I don't want to spend the entire time apologising for stepping upon people's toes . Umm… why don't you go ahead? I shall sit here and enjoy the scenario . "

"There is no major difference between the two . All you need to remember is that you have to move counter clockwise . Secondly, just keep your moves long and fluid . That's it . I will be there alongside, anyways . C'mon, we are going to try it . Did you come here to simply sit?" he questioned and extended his hand towards her .

Jia Li accepted the proffered hand and got up from her chair . Hui didn't let go of her hand till they reached the other end of the room where a large group of people were dancing in a circle . Murmuring few instructions in her ear, he created an opening inside the circle and pulled her along .

After a couple of minutes of inhibitions, Jia Li surrendered herself to the energy around her . Her body was gyrating to the beats now . Closing her eyes, she let the music take away her loneliness, her unhappiness, the feeling of everything . It was like she emptied her soul right there on that dance floor, full of strangers . In her state of abandonment, she danced like it was the last dance of her life, giving it her all . By the time the music wound down, she could barely stay on her feet .

Hui's eyes hadn't left her face during the entire duration of the dance . She, on the other hand, had hardly been aware of him or the people around .

"Eric was right . I know nothing about her . The question is do I want to? I have never really bothered with what makes a person tick, what their past is . Do I want to do this whole exercise as far as she is concerned? Am I sure about this? I guess I need to a.n.a.lyse this a bit," he thought to himself .

"Let's go back . Eric would be looking for us," he said to her .

He knew for a fact that Eric wasn't going to return to the table anytime soon but he made that excuse so that she would not insist on dancing any more right now . She looked completely drained yet oddly defiant, as if at war with something or someone .

She nodded and followed him quietly to their table . Once they reached the table, he ensured that she sat down . Murmuring that he would be back shortly, he walked away without any further explanation .

Jia Li was still dazed by her near meltdown at the dance floor .

"Do I want my first social outing with the bosses to be an embarra.s.sing one? G.o.d, I have zero self-control, don't I?" she covered her face with her hands .

"Umm… are you alright?" Hui's concerned voice reached her ears .

Eric wasnt back at the table yet . Probably, he was still trying to find his rhythm and steps in the now overcrowded room . Would you like a drink? Hui had finally managed to find his voice after recovering from her dazzling smile . Her smile should really come with a warning . Look and absorb it at your own risk . You may end up losing your head and heart to it, he thought to himself . She shook her head in affirmative . While Hui busied himself with ordering the drinks for them, Jia Li took in the scene around her . Couples were swaying away to the music, lost in their private worlds . Heated, perspiring bodies wrapped around each-other made her yearn for that connect, for that intimacy . It had been such a long lonely period for her . She couldnt remember the last time that she had held or had been held by a loved one in such a manner . Her eyes teared up on their own accord and she tried to surrept.i.tiously wipe away the salty sadness before her companion could take notice of it . Was she crying for someones absence or in self-pity? Both? She didnt know . Hui looked up from the menu to ask her if she wished to eat something but his words stayed in . Her beautiful green eyes held a wealth of sadness in them . He lowered his eyes and hid his face behind the menu card . He wanted to ask her the reason but didnt want to intrude on what was clearly a private moment . His heart ached at the thought of her being unhappy . Impulsively, he said, the drinks would take some time . Lets go partic.i.p.ate in a Tanda till then . . Jia Li looked at him in confusion . A Tanda is a round consisting of four dances . Till now, you and I have been dancing as a couple . Now its time to experience Tango in a group, he explained and stood up, pus.h.i.+ng his chair behind . She replied, Nooooo, I am not even sure if I have got the solo moves right . How can I partic.i.p.ate in the group dance . I dont want to spend the entire time apologising for stepping upon peoples toes . Umm… why dont you go ahead? I shall sit here and enjoy the scenario . There is no major difference between the two . All you need to remember is that you have to move counter clockwise . Secondly, just keep your moves long and fluid . Thats it . I will be there alongside, anyways . Cmon, we are going to try it . Did you come here to simply sit? he questioned and extended his hand towards her . Jia Li accepted the proffered hand and got up from her chair . Hui didnt let go of her hand till they reached the other end of the room where a large group of people were dancing in a circle . Murmuring few instructions in her ear, he created an opening inside the circle and pulled her along . After a couple of minutes of inhibitions, Jia Li surrendered herself to the energy around her . Her body was gyrating to the beats now . Closing her eyes, she let the music take away her loneliness, her unhappiness, the feeling of everything . It was like she emptied her soul right there on that dance floor, full of strangers . In her state of abandonment, she danced like it was the last dance of her life, giving it her all . By the time the music wound down, she could barely stay on her feet Huis eyes hadnt left her face during the entire duration of the dance . She, on the other hand, had hardly been aware of him or the people around . Eric was right . I know nothing about her . The question is do I want to? I have never really bothered with what makes a person tick, what their past is . Do I want to do this whole exercise as far as she is concerned? Am I sure about this? I guess I need to a.n.a.lyse this a bit, he thought to himself . Lets go back . Eric would be looking for us, he said to her . He knew for a fact that Eric wasnt going to return to the table anytime soon but he made that excuse so that she would not insist on dancing any more right now . She looked completely drained yet oddly defiant, as if at war with something or someone . She nodded and followed him quietly to their table . Once they reached the table, he ensured that she sat down . Murmuring that he would be back shortly, he walked away without any further explanation . Jia Li was still dazed by her near meltdown at the dance floor . Do I want my first social outing with the bosses to be an embarra.s.sing one? G.o.d, I have zero self-control, dont I? she covered her face with her hands . Umm… are you alright? Huis concerned voice reached her ears .